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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ye Xia

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Guest Editor

Department of Plant Pathology, College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Interests: molecular biology; plant pathology; phytopathology; plant disease resistance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Chunquan Zhang

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Guest Editor

College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Alcorn State University, 1000 ASU Dr. #690, Lorman, MS 39096, USA
Interests: molecular biology; plant pathology; disease management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue delves into the intricate mechanisms and applications of plant resistance against bacterial and fungal pathogens, exploring the forefront of research in basic and agricultural science. Plants have evolved an impressive array of defense mechanisms to counteract the threats posed by destructive microbial pathogens, and understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing sustainable and effective strategies for crop protection. The focus of this Special Issue will be a spectrum of topics, ranging from the molecular and genetic basis of plant immunity to the application of cutting-edge technologies in enhancing plant disease resistance. For instance, key insights into the signaling pathways involved in plant defense responses, the role of secondary metabolites, and the manipulation of plant–microbe interactions are well welcomed. Furthermore, this Special Issue will explore the potential of biotechnological approaches, such as genetic engineering and synthetic biology, in developing crops with enhanced disease resistance traits. Additionally, the practical applications of these findings in the field of agriculture, including the development of resistant crop varieties and eco-friendly disease management strategies, are well encouraged. The collective knowledge presented in this Special Issue will not only advance our understanding of plant–pathogen interactions but also hold promise for addressing global challenges related to food security and sustainable agriculture. Researchers, practitioners, and policymakers alike will find valuable insights and innovative solutions that contribute to the ongoing efforts in mitigating the impact of bacterial and fungal pathogens on crop productivity.

Dr. Ye Xia
Dr. Chunquan Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

plant disease resistance
functional mechanism
practical applications
plant health
food security
sustainable agriculture

Published Papers (1 paper)

Research

29 pages, 4742 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Plant Growth Promotion and Plant Disease Suppression Induced by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Strain GD4a

by Piao Yang, Pu Yuan, Wenshan Liu, Zhenzhen Zhao, Matthew C. Bernier, Chunquan Zhang, Ashna Adhikari, Stephen Obol Opiyo, Lijing Zhao, Fredrekis Banks and Ye Xia

Plants 2024, 13(5), 672; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13050672 - 28 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1127

Abstract

Botrytis cinerea, the causative agent of gray mold disease (GMD), invades plants to obtain nutrients and disseminates through airborne conidia in nature. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain GD4a, a beneficial bacterium isolated from switchgrass, shows great potential in managing GMD in plants. However, the precise mechanism by which GD4a confers benefits to plants remains elusive. In this study, an A. thaliana-B. cinerea-B. amyloliquefaciens multiple-scale interaction model was used to explore how beneficial bacteria play essential roles in plant growth promotion, plant pathogen suppression, and plant immunity boosting. Arabidopsis Col-0 wild-type plants served as the testing ground to assess GD4a’s efficacy. Additionally, bacterial enzyme activity and targeted metabolite tests were conducted to validate GD4a’s potential for enhancing plant growth and suppressing plant pathogens and diseases. GD4a was subjected to co-incubation with various bacterial, fungal, and oomycete pathogens to evaluate its antagonistic effectiveness in vitro. In vivo pathogen inoculation assays were also carried out to investigate GD4a’s role in regulating host plant immunity. Bacterial extracellular exudate (BEE) was extracted, purified, and subjected to untargeted metabolomics analysis. Benzocaine (BEN) from the untargeted metabolomics analysis was selected for further study of its function and related mechanisms in enhancing plant immunity through plant mutant analysis and qRT-PCR analysis. Finally, a comprehensive model was formulated to summarize the potential benefits of applying GD4a in agricultural systems. Our study demonstrates the efficacy of GD4a, isolated from switchgrass, in enhancing plant growth, suppressing plant pathogens and diseases, and bolstering host plant immunity. Importantly, GD4a produces a functional bacterial extracellular exudate (BEE) that significantly disrupts the pathogenicity of B. cinerea by inhibiting fungal conidium germination and hypha formation. Additionally, our study identifies benzocaine (BEN) as a novel small molecule that triggers basal defense, ISR, and SAR responses in Arabidopsis plants. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain GD4a can effectively promote plant growth, suppress plant disease, and boost plant immunity through functional BEE production and diverse gene expression. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Resistance against Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens: Mechanisms and Applications)

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